Sake Hits Twice as Hard on a Full Moon
by korisnik
Summary: The night that changes Takasugi and Bansai's relationship status from 'it's complicated' to 'it's even more complicated'.


It was an eventful night, according to Bansai. Some of the men had been caught sneaking out of Shimabara.

Going to a pleasure quarter isn't a problem in itself - Takasugi has been a commander for quite a few years now. He knows men have their needs, and if those needs are met, there is less trouble on his hands. He allows them some indiscretions here and there, as long as his army is focused and efficient when he needs them to be. The problem here is that they were caught trying to run away with the courtesans, not only deserting the Kiheitai, which was in itself an offense punishable by death, but also drawing attention to the Kiheitai's hiding place in Kyoto. There was only one thing Bansai could have done - make a swift example of them on the spot.

Takasugi listens to Bansai's report impassively. He's known him for about four years at this point, and he trusts his judgement when it comes to such matters. Bansai had been quite an interesting find, simultaneously the most reliable and the most independent of Takasugi's men. He had a penchant for music, his tastes not unlike Takasugi's, and conversations with Bansai would often leave Takasugi pondering something or other deep in the night. Truth be told, he enjoys Bansai's company more than he would like to admit.

He finishes the sake in his cup then pours some more for them both, motioning for Bansai to stay. "What were you doing outside of Shimabara, anyway? It's a beautiful night, but you don't strike me as the type of person who would enjoy it by engaging in such earthly delights. Or was I wrong?"

Bansai brings his cup to his mouth. "I daresay you're not. I was coming back from the studio - our plan to finance the Kiheitai through making vapid pop hits is going along swimmingly." He smiles. "Ironically, I was just writing a song about the pleasures of sex. I need to think of a suitably scandalous title. It's what sells, after all."

"Does it, really? There are so many songs about sex out there. Maybe we should find a smaller niche with a more loyal fanbase, then steadily expand it."

"You might be right about that." Bansai finishes his cup, then refills it. "There really are many songs about sex. Some of them quite good, I daresay. I expected the act itself to be such a grand musical experience, as well. It was a let-down when that was not the case."

Takasugi scoffs, not even questioning his subordinate's weird musical metaphors anymore. "I was never raised with such romantic notions. And during the war, it was mostly a way to pass the time." He finishes his cup and feels a bit light-headed while pouring from the bottle. He had already started drinking before Bansai came, and he must've lost track during the conversation.

Takasugi clumsily reaches for Bansai's shades, and when he feels no resistance from the other man, he carefully takes them off, revealing his subordinate's eyes. "It's a pity you weren't around then. Maybe the ladies would gather around you and leave me alone."

Bansai smiles, and Takasugi thinks it just proves his claim. "Is this your roundabout way of bragging, Shinsuke? I can't imagine there were that many ladies on the battlefield to cause you problems."

Takasugi rests his head on the wall and closes his eye, too tipsy to think of a clever comeback. He hadn't meant to brag. At first he enjoyed the attention whenever they'd visit a brothel, partly because it made Gintoki seethe with jealousy, but later even that became bothersome. When they were kids and the boys in class started getting interested in chasing girls around the school grounds (or visiting widows next door in Zura's case), he'd frequently get into fisticuffs with the other kids because he didn't get what the fuss was all about. Sensei had to sit him down and explain that some children are just late bloomers, and he's sure that Takasugi'll understand it all soon, maybe around the time when he hits his growth spurt.

The growth spurt never came, but the war did, and surrounded by the strong young men who enlisted, Takasugi suddenly understood quite a bit.

Sakamoto was the one who figured it out. He'd needled and prodded Takasugi to come visit the brothel in the nearby town they had checked out earlier while setting up camp, laughing like a fool while telling him the war wouldn't end overnight and all the work he had to do would still be there in the morning.

When they arrived, Sakamoto winked at him, telling him to go with the girl he had already picked for him. It felt strange but Takasugi went along with it, until the girl started taking off her clothes once they were alone, and Takasugi stood up, awash with rage and embarrassment, ready to murder the damn bastard. The girl, no, _the guy_ , followed him while he was flinging the screen doors of the establishment open, his eyes searching for the familiar mop of brown hair, telling him he'll just be making a scene, and everything is paid for already, and doesn't he want to just try and see how it feels, until Takasugi finally relented.

He still punched Sakamoto in the morning.

"Ahahaha! Takasugi, what was that for?"

"What the hell kind of sick joke was that last night, huh?"

"It wasn' a joke, Takasugi, I swear! I just thought... I've seen the way ya've been avoidin' these things, sayin' yer busy, or purposefully pickin' the same girl as Gintoki, I just figured... Was I wrong?"

Takasugi said nothing. Sakamoto gave him a searching look and Takasugi could feel himself losing the will to fight, the tension leaving his shoulders.

Sakamoto grinned playfully at him. "But ya stayed until morning, didn't ya? Ahahaha! Was it good?"

Takasugi pushed him down in the mud, ignoring the loud swears interspersed with laughter behind him as he moved to give his Kiheitai their orders.

Takasugi opens his eye. He's so sick and tired of thinking about the past. He doesn't want to think about anything.

He pushes his cup to Bansai, who eyes him with concern, but still refills it, watching carefully as Takasugi downs it. Takasugi decides that maybe Bansai looks better with the shades after all. He doesn't like the way Bansai's gaze on him makes him feel, hot and dizzy and pathetic. He lurches forward, knocking over the small table between them, and puts his hand over Bansai's eyes.

Bansai slowly wraps his fingers over Takasugi's wrist and gently tugs. "Shinsuke..."

Takasugi _really_ doesn't like the way that word coming out of Bansai's mouth makes him feel. He wants to shut him up. He wants to regain some sense of control. He pushes him down, straddling his hips. Bansai doesn't resist him. He just keeps staring at him, like he understands Takasugi more than Takasugi understands himself. It's infuriating, because Takasugi understands Bansai, too. He knows him. He grinds against Bansai, and there it is - Bansai's eyes flutter closed, and he pushes his hips back into Takasugi.

Takasugi leans down, vaguely aware of Bansai placing his hands on his thighs to steady him, and he catches Bansai's lip between his teeth. Bansai's breath halts for a second, and Takasugi feels an odd thrill. He wants to see what else he can do.

After all, it's a beautiful night. It would be a shame not to enjoy it with a musical performance.

Notes:

Thanks to Red_Lacquer for proofreading! All comments/criticisms/etc are welcome.


End file.
